Using a special questionnaire the authors examined646 first tothirdyear students of several Brno secondary schools and schools for apprentices aged 15-19 years. The survey was anonymous and the subjects were defined only by sex, age and smoking behaviour. In the investigated group 14 % students never tried to smoke, 35 % non-smokers experimented previously with cigarettes and 51 % young people smoked (30.4 % daily). Regular daily smokers tried on average to smoke one year sooner (11.7 years) than non-smokers and occasional smokers (12.7 years). Child smokers had more frequently parents and siblings who were smokers. Most children had their first cigarette from a friend (55-61 %), smokers received significantly more frequently cigarettes in a gang (21 % vs.15 %) or bought them themselves (13% vs.8 %). On average 14% children had their first cigarette from their parents, grandparents or other relatives, some even during preschool age. Most children smoked their first cigarette because "everybody smokes" and the main reason was curiosity. Later regular smokers approached the first attempt with certain fears of failure (14 %), while fewer had to be convinced (7% vs.16% non-smokers and occasional smokers). A larger dose of nicotine from the first cigarette was obtained by twice as many regular smokers than non-smokers because they smoked a whole cigarette and inhaled the smoke into the lungs. They had more frequently health problems immediately after the first attempt. Despite this four times as many regular smokers as compared with non-smokers evaluate their first attempt with satisfaction. Almost half the present regular smokers repeated the first attempt on the same or the following day and wish to smoke also during the next five years. The most significant reason for non-smoking was in all groups of respondents the price of cigarettes, while fear of late medical squealed and the illicit character of smoking under age were unimportant. Non-smokersemphasize anti-social aspects (it is stupid, repulsive, replaceable) which are of no meaning to smokers. The investigation revealed the advancing trend of an earlier onset of smoking to younger age groups and the increasing prevalence of regular smokers among Czech adolescents.

        Key words: adolescents’ smoking – first attempts – reasons for non-smoking